Revenue Recognition - Disaggregation of net sales (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions		3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended
		Jun. 30, 2018	Jun. 30, 2017	Jun. 30, 2018	Jun. 30, 2017
Revenue, Major Customer [Line Items]
Net sales		$ 1,844	$ 1,510	$ 3,695	$ 2,981
Engineered Materials [Member]
Revenue, Major Customer [Line Items]
Net sales		664		1,329
Acetate Tow [Member]
Revenue, Major Customer [Line Items]
Net sales		162		330
Industrial Specialties [Member]
Revenue, Major Customer [Line Items]
Net sales	[1]	287		559
Acetyl Intermediates [Member]
Revenue, Major Customer [Line Items]
Net sales	[2]	731		1,477
Intersegment Eliminations [Member]
Revenue, Major Customer [Line Items]
Net sales		(131)	(110)	(258)	(208)
Intersegment Eliminations [Member] | Industrial Specialties [Member]
Revenue, Major Customer [Line Items]
Net sales		1	1	3	2
Intersegment Eliminations [Member] | Acetyl Intermediates [Member]
Revenue, Major Customer [Line Items]
Net sales		130	$ 109	255	$ 206
North America [Member] | Engineered Materials [Member]
Revenue, Major Customer [Line Items]
Total net sales		191		370
North America [Member] | Acetate Tow [Member]
Revenue, Major Customer [Line Items]
Total net sales		33		68
North America [Member] | Industrial Specialties [Member]
Revenue, Major Customer [Line Items]
Total net sales		93		181
North America [Member] | Acetyl Intermediates [Member]
Revenue, Major Customer [Line Items]
Total net sales		192		394
Europe And Africa [Member] | Engineered Materials [Member]
Revenue, Major Customer [Line Items]
Total net sales		331		668
Europe And Africa [Member] | Acetate Tow [Member]
Revenue, Major Customer [Line Items]
Total net sales		48		118
Europe And Africa [Member] | Industrial Specialties [Member]
Revenue, Major Customer [Line Items]
Total net sales		138		274
Europe And Africa [Member] | Acetyl Intermediates [Member]
Revenue, Major Customer [Line Items]
Total net sales		201		382
Asia Pacific [Member] | Engineered Materials [Member]
Revenue, Major Customer [Line Items]
Total net sales		126		258
Asia Pacific [Member] | Acetate Tow [Member]
Revenue, Major Customer [Line Items]
Total net sales		68		119
Asia Pacific [Member] | Industrial Specialties [Member]
Revenue, Major Customer [Line Items]
Total net sales		52		96
Asia Pacific [Member] | Acetyl Intermediates [Member]
Revenue, Major Customer [Line Items]
Total net sales		310		644
South America [Member] | Engineered Materials [Member]
Revenue, Major Customer [Line Items]
Total net sales		16		33
South America [Member] | Acetate Tow [Member]
Revenue, Major Customer [Line Items]
Total net sales		13		25
South America [Member] | Industrial Specialties [Member]
Revenue, Major Customer [Line Items]
Total net sales		4		8
South America [Member] | Acetyl Intermediates [Member]
Revenue, Major Customer [Line Items]
Total net sales		$ 28		$ 57

[1] Excludes intersegment sales of $1 million and $3 million for the three and six months ended June 30, 2018, respectively.

[2] Excludes intersegment sales of $130 million and $255 million for the three and six months ended June 30, 2018, respectively.